Web-based thyroid imaging reporting and data system: Malignancy risk of atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance thyroid nodules calculated by a combination of ultrasonography features and biopsy results

Objective: Thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology pose management challenges in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of ultrasound features in navigating clinical decision making in thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed ultrasound imaging from 186 adult patients with thyroid nodules and indeterminate cytology who underwent thyroidectomy at a quaternary hospital from 2010–2017. All nodules were classified based on the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and 2017 American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS). Nodules were included if good quality pre-operative ultrasound imaging and surgical pathology were available. Results: A total of 202 thyroid nodules were included. The median age was 57 years; 82.8% were female. Risk of malignancy (ROM) in resected nodules with Bethesda 3 and 4 cytology was 19.4% and 30.3%, respectively. ATA high-suspicious and TI-RADS 5 nodules had high ROM, 100% in both systems for Bethesda 3 nodules; 66.7% and 50.0%, respectively, for Bethesda 4 nodules. For ATA very-low suspicious/TI-RADS 1 and 2, ROM was 0%. ROM in ATA low-suspicious/TI-RADS 3 nodules with Bethesda 3 cytology was lower (15.2% and 16.0%, respectively) than Bethesda 4 cytology (33.8% and 34.3%, respectively). ATA intermediate-suspicious/TI-RADS 4 nodules with Bethesda 4 cytology had a lower ROM (11.1% and 18.2%, respectively) than Bethesda 3 cytology (28.6 % and 31.6%, respectively). Conclusion: Using either the ATA or the TI-RADS system to risk-stratify nodules with indeterminate cytology may help clinicians plan better for additional diagnostic testing and treatment. Abbreviations: ACR = American College of Radiology; ATA = American Thyroid Association; AUS = atypia of undetermined significance; FLUS = follicular lesion of undetermined significance; FN = follicular neoplasm; PPV = positive predictive value; ROM = risk of malignancy; SFN = suspicious for follicular neoplasm; TI-RADS = Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System

Download Full-text

A retrospective study correlating Ultrasound based Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System(TIRADS) with Bethesda System for Thyroid cytopathology in thyroid nodule risk stratification

New Emirates Medical Journal ◽

10.2174/0250688203666210111152307 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 03 ◽

Author(s):

Rajeev Chaturvedi ◽

Ashok Kumar ◽

Balaji Balasubramanian ◽

Sreekala Sreehari

Keyword(s):

Risk Stratification ◽

Thyroid Nodule ◽

Thyroid Nodules ◽

Data System ◽

Receiver Operating Curve ◽

Thyroid Imaging ◽

Risk Of Malignancy ◽

Bethesda System ◽

Thyroid Cytopathology ◽

Undetermined Significance

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of the ultrasound based Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS)in estimating risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules by correlating it with Bethesda system of thyroid cytopathology. Methods: A retrospective single center study was conducted in a specialty hospital in UAE from November 2017 to November 2019 on 259 thyroid nodules which underwent ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Thyroid nodules were evaluated using American College of Radiology (ACR) TIRADS and categorized as benign (TR1), not suspicious (TR2), mildly suspicious (TR3), moderately suspicious (TR4), or highly suspicious (TR5) for malignancy. The risk of malignancy associated with each TIRADS category was evaluated by comparing it with the Bethesda system classification of cytopathology. Results: Ultrasound and FNAC data of 259 nodules was reviewed. Out of these 33 (12.7%) nodules were excluded because FNAC revealed atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance. The estimated risk of malignancy in TR 3 was 13.6%, in TR4 was 27% and TR5 was 63.6%. There was statistically significant correlation between –TIRADS and Bethesda system using Chi-square test (p<0.001). The receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis revealed specificity of 81.3 % [95% CI, 74.9-86.6%], NPV of 91 % [95% CI, 87.1–93.8%] and accuracy of 77.9% [95% CI, 71.9–83.1%] in differentiating benign from malignant nodules. Conclusion: The ultrasound based ACR- TIRADS scoring correlates well with the Bethesda cytopathology in thyroid nodule risk stratification. Thus, it can be used as a simple and effective tool to decide further management and avoid unnecessary FNAC and surgeries in thyroid nodules.

Download Full-text